


We're A Team

by andthentheresme



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comfort, Could be Klance if you wanted it to be, Gen, M/M, Nightmares, Platonic Relationships, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 05:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9476993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andthentheresme/pseuds/andthentheresme
Summary: Keith has nightmares and is sick. Lance takes care of him. I cannot summarize anything.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first sickfic (as well as first fic really) so it may be OOC, but I had a great time writing it and I would love to get better so I hope you enjoy!

Keith jolted awake, again: it was the third night in a row, three nights with very little sleep. He had another dream about Zarkon, this time Zarkon holding him underwater, practically crushing his throat, until he drowned. Although Keith woke up fast, his eyes were slow to open, as if they’d been taped shut. He slowly forced his eyes to open, wincing at the light that flooded in. Did I fall asleep with the lights on? Keith’s memory felt hazy: he couldn’t even remember when he fell asleep, let alone if he turned the lights off.  
Even after he woke up, he couldn’t shake the burning sensation in his lungs. Keith knew he wasn’t in danger, but his heart kept pounding too fast, and it felt like there was a weight on his chest.  
“It was…just a dream…” 

Keith gave himself a minute to settle his breathing, then tried to sit up. But his movements were sluggish, and he found that even the simple act of sitting up left his muscles shaking. Keith wanted nothing more than to lay back down and sleep, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of drowning, couldn’t forget Zarkon laughing at him as his body went limp. He won’t beat me again, not if I’m powerful enough to stop him. With that thought in mind, Keith focused his attention on standing up. Truthfully, it worried him how much effort it takes just to stand. A part of him began to panic, knowing that he was in no shape to train. But he ignored the panic as best he could and got ready. 

Keith grimaced as he stumbled out of his room. When did the lights get so damn bright? He walked hunched over, praying that the other paladins would be preoccupied with other things. Of course the one paladin he had to run into was the one he was most reluctant to see.  
“Keith, what’s up dude?” Lance walked towards Keith smiling. Although Keith never had much enthusiasm for Lance, today he had even less. He was about to give Lance a curt reply when he noticed how much his throat hurt. In fact, the more he stood still, the more he noticed the aches and pains in his body. He let out a low grunt as he walked past Lance, which annoyed the blue paladin.  
“What’s your problem, Keith?” Lance reached out to grip Keith’s shoulder, but he pulled away when he felt how much heat was radiating off of Keith. His face rapidly shifted from annoyance to concern. Once he was closer to Keith’s face he noticed Keith’s skin, which was far too pale, was drenched in sweat, and yet his body was trembling as if he was cold.  
“Keith, are you alright? You’re really pale…”  
Keith’s heart begins to pound. Is it that obvious? Shiro and the others will notice for sure if even Lance managed to do so. I don’t have time for this, I have to train. Keith realized he hadn’t spoken out loud for several seconds, with Lance’s face getting more riddled with worry.  
“I’m fine.” He tried to give Lance as icy a stare as he could manage so he would stop asking questions and just leave him alone, but he was finding it more difficult to concentrate on his surroundings.  
“Like hell you are.” Lance couldn’t keep the anger out of his voice. He wasn’t not angry, not really, just very worried for his friend, but it just annoyed him that Keith never told anyone when he was sick or hurt, he just insisted on bearing the burden all by himself. Lance understood why he did it, how it felt to feel like a burden on your friends. 

Moments ago, Keith was staring him down, but now, Keith’s eyes look glassy and unfocused. Lance pushed Keith against the wall and felt his forehead with the back of his hand. Warm…he’s way too warm. Keith wanted to tell Lance to leave him alone, to go away, to stop worrying about him, but he couldn’t form a coherent thought, much less a coherent sentence.  
“You’ve definitely got a fever…” Lance muttered to himself and clicked his tongue. He wants to scold Keith, but he knows the jerk wouldn’t remember it if he lectured him now. Instead Lance silently sild his arm under Keith’s armpit and slung Keith’s arm over his shoulder.  
“Alright buddy, looks like it’s time for a trip to the medical bay.” Lance tried to keep his tone cheery, but inside he was panicking. Lance’s words also seemed to worry Keith a little. He started fidgeting and shaking his head. Lance looked down at Keith, who was mumbling something incoherently.  
“What? Are you gonna keep insisting you’re fine? Cuz I’m not buying it.”  
Keith shook his head more vigorously, all the fight leaving him, and he looked on the verge of tears.  
“Don’t…don’t tell…please…”  
Lance wasn’t sure what to say to that. Tears trickled down Keith’s face, and he was trembling. Keith is…crying? Lance can’t understand what’s happened to Keith, the one who would challenge anyone, including Zarkon, unafraid. But he’s definitely scared now. Lance didn’t know what to do, but he starts to stroke Keith’s hair.  
“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone, okay? Just…don’t cry, alright? I’ll take care of you.”  
Keith’s face visibly relaxed at hearing that, but after putting up a fight he found that all of his energy was gone. His legs felt like gelatin, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could walk until he fell over. 

They were closer to Keith’s room, but Lance wanted to keep an eye on him, so he carried Keith into his room.  
Keith’s legs collapsed from under him and his vision slowly faded into black. I’m so tired…  
“Hey, whoa. Don’t pass out on me here!” Lance got a firm hold on Keith and kept him upright as he was falling over. He swept him into his arms and carried him bridal style to bed. As soon as Keith’s head hit the pillow, he fell into a fitful sleep. 

Lance tried to run through a list of things he would need. A cold compress, some medicine if I can find any, water, some food if he can eat it…The more Lance thought about everything he would need, the more worried he gets. Stop it! You need to focus! Lance took a deep breath and calmed himself a bit. Then, he went into the bathroom to look for some supplies.  
He came out of the bathroom with some medicine, a cold rag and some water. He touched Keith’s shoulder and gently tried to rouse him.  
“Keith, hey Keith, I need you to stay awake for a little bit.”  
Keith’s eyes flutter open, although they’re glassy and unfocused.  
Lance supported Keith as he sat up, groaning in pain.  
“Sorry, sorry it’s just for a sec. Here, swallow these pills, then drink this water, okay? Then you can sleep.”  
Keith nodded, too tired to put up a fight, and swallowed the pills quickly. He only managed to drink a little of the water, which worried Lance, but he didn’t want to push it.  
He helped Keith lay back down and put the cold rag on his forehead. Keith’s face tensed but then relaxed as the cold washcloth soothed his burning skin. Exhaustion took over and within minutes, Keith is asleep.

Lance let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. He didn’t want to leave Keith alone, so he sat by his side, occasionally switching out the rag on his forehead and worriedly checking his temperature with the back of his hand.  
Suddenly, Keith started squirming in his sleep. His eyes weren’t open, so Lance wasn’t sure if he was actually awake. He softly called Keith’s name.  
“Keith?”  
Keith didn’t respond, but he continued to squirm, mumbling indecipherably. Lance took off the cold rag to check Keith’s temperature. He feels warmer than before. Keith’s mumblings slowly began to resemble words Lance could understand.  
“No…please…”  
Keith’s face grew more distraught and he began moving around more agitatedly.  
“Someone…help me…. please…help”  
Lance had never heard Keith sound so pathetic, so helpless. He put a cool hand on his cheek and gently shook his shoulders.  
“Keith…” he whispered, “Keith…wake up”  
Keith’s eyes shot open as he jolted awake.  
“Zarkon!” he shouts.  
“Hey, hey, it’s alright. You’re alright. It was just a bad dream, okay? Zarkon’s not here. We’re in my room. You’re safe.”  
Keith looked around, unsure of his surroundings. This is…Lance’s room? And…Lance is here. Zarkon isn’t here. I’m…safe? Lance started stroking Keith’s hair to soothe him.  
“You were just having a bad dream from the fever.” Lance continued to stroke his hair and spoke in a soothing tone until it seemed that Keith’s face relaxed a little.  
“I’m gonna grab some more medicine, okay?”  
Keith’s eyes widened and he gripped Lance tightly.  
“I’ll be right back, I promise.” Lance looked into Keith’s eyes and gave him a reassuring smile before he headed back over to the bathroom to grab the medicine.

Now that Keith was somewhat conscious, all the pain he felt earlier was coming back to him. His head was killing him. It hurt so bad he almost let out a whimper, but controlled himself. He didn’t want Lance to think he was weak. Lance came back with the medicine and a rag, freshly soaked. He handed Keith the medicine ad encouraged him to drink more water than last time. Then, he laid Keith back down and put the rag back on his forehead.  
“Thank you…” Keith manages to croak out.  
“It’s what friends do, jerk.” His insult had no bite, and Keith can see he looked stressed.  
“Sorry you had to see me…having a nightmare.”  
“Listen, Keith, you don’t have to…hide everything, you know? It takes all five of us to form Voltron after all. We all have to stick together. Zarkon…scares me too, okay? But what comforts me is that I don’t have to fight him alone, and neither do you. So, next time you’re sick or you have a nightmare or you just…need help, you can talk to me, okay?”  
Keith didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t ever depended on others before, and he’s not used to the feeling of being helpless. But Lance was right. Things are different now. He’s part of a team. It felt like a weight was taken off his chest. He looks up at Lance.  
“Okay.”  
“Okay, good. Now, get some rest, you idiot.”  
Keith nodded, and lets his mind shut off. Zarkon may be out there. But he felt safe by Lance’s side. Keith smiled, just a little bit, and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
